Safety and technology in the family SUV have evolved over the years. This goes for every vehicle, but safety is typically a top priority for family SUV shoppers.
There was a time in the automotive industry when safety wasn’t considered. Thankfully, Volvo changed that by developing the seat belt and making sure it could be implemented in every vehicle on the road. Today, many safety features are not only physical restraints and protections, but also electronic warning and interventions to keep you out of trouble as much as possible.
Here’s a look at some safety improvements that make the family SUV safer than ever before.
Seat Belts: Still Your Primary Safety Item
Every modern vehicle comes equipped with seat belts for every seat. There was a time when the rear seat didn’t have them, and before that, some cars didn’t have a shoulder belt, only a lap belt. The three-point seat belt has become the standard for most seats and helps to secure passengers in their seat when the vehicle is in a crash. Sudden tension on the belt locks it in place, allowing the belt to keep passengers restrained. Seat belts have saved hundreds of thousands of lives since their implementation.
Air Bags: The Secondary System
If you look at the airbag cover in your family SUV, you’ll notice that some say SRS. This stands for Supplemental Restraint System, which means that it’s a secondary system to the seat belt. Air bags were first invented in the 1950s and have come a long way since the first ones were added to vehicles. Airbags save lives, but mostly, they save passengers from injuries that would be sustained if only seat belts were used. According to the NHTSA, since frontal air bags were widely adopted in 1987, they have saved more than 50,000 lives.
Electronic Stability Control: Don’t Lose Control
Since 2011, Electronic Stability Control has been required in all new cars. It uses computer-controlled braking to assist you in maintaining control when you begin to lose control of your vehicle. This system helps you avoid becoming a victim of the environmental conditions around you, such as rain or snow. You can still spin out and lose control at times, especially when hydroplaning, but the ESC system helps avoid most of these situations.
Adaptive Cruise Control; Keep Your Distance
Ten or fifteen years ago, cruise control was a mechanical tool that set the speed and kept the vehicle at that speed. It was up to you as the driver to avoid hitting someone else with your family SUV. Adaptive Cruise Control changes this. This feature allows you to set the follow distance you want and if a vehicle is detected in front of yours, by use of the onboard camera and sensor system, your SUV will slow down and match the speed at a safe distance.
Lane Departure Warning with Steering Assist: Stay In Your Lane
Staying in your lane isn’t simply about minding your own business, but also staying in your lane while driving. Drivers are more distracted than ever before, which means they need something to help them avoid crossing into the next lane or off the road unintentionally. Lane Departure Warning with Steering Assist senses when you’re coming close to the lane line and diverts your vehicle back to the center of the lane. It also gives you a warning to help you steer yourself but takes over when you don’t respond in time.
Blind Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert: Avoid Hitting Stuff
Is there are vehicle in your blind spot? Is a car coming behind your family SUV while you’re trying to back out of your driveway? The Blind Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert system helps ensure you don’t get into a crash with vehicles, pedestrians, pets, or objects in these areas. Its sometimes difficult to see what’s going on around your vehicle and this system helps you avoid a crash.
Backup Camera with Parking Sensors: Stay Safe in the Parking Lot
Parking lots can be dangerous, and most family SUV models are bigger than ever. This means it can be more difficult to park and avoid hitting other vehicles or objects. Thankfully, most vehicles now have parking sensors, and all new vehicles have backup cameras. Your parents and grandparents couldn’t have imagined having a rearview camera in their vehicles of the past, but these items help you stay out of trouble when parking or leaving the parking lot.
These are just a few of the safety features and systems that have been added to the family SUV over the years, giving you a much better chance of staying out of trouble on the road. Which of these systems has alerted or warned you of potential danger recently?
